Paint contains thinners, or solvents, that release volatile organic compounds as they evaporate. These contribute to smog and can pose health risks.

Modern oil-based paints, made with synthetic resins called alkyds, have less thinner and give off fewer odors and toxic fumes than their oil-based predecessors. Still, thinner is an essential component of alkyd paint.

Because the thinner content of latex paint has always been much less than that of alkyd paint, there has been a dramatic shift over the years toward latex.

In fact, some oil-based paints are now restricted or illegal in certain regions. The already low solvent content of latex paints (a maximum of 8 percent) has been reduced to zero in some cases. These paints are marked “0 VOC” (for “zero volatile organic compounds”).

While this is good news for the environment, 0 VOC paint can be difficult to work with because it dries very quickly.

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